lai6 hoi6厲害厉害

Jyutpinglai6 hoi6

Yalelaih hoih

形容詞Common

Definition

Awesome, intense, or formidable; fierce and powerful.

fierce; intense; severe; extreme
awesome; highly capable; formidable

colloquialdescriptions

How it's used

Used frequently to describe someone with exceptional skills or talent, but it also functions as an intensifier for negative situations like pain, weather, or arguments. When describing a person, it often carries a sense of admiration or respect for their ability to handle difficult tasks. It is highly versatile and can be applied to almost any situation that exceeds a normal or expected level of intensity.

Examples

keoi5佢daa2打bo1波zan1真hai6係hou2好lei6厲hoi6害aa4呀。

He is really awesome at playing ball.

gam1今jat6日go3個fung1風gam3咁lei6厲hoi6害，nei5你zung6仲ceot1出gaai1街？

The wind is so fierce today, are you still going out?

Common phrases

hou2好lei6厲hoi6害

very awesome

lei6厲hoi6害gok3角sik1色

a formidable character

Common mistake

Learners often use it only for positive praise, forgetting that it can describe negative intensity like a severe illness or a very loud noise. Avoid using it to describe something that is simply 'good' or 'nice', as it specifically implies a high degree of power, skill, or severity.